Microenterprise in the United States

FIELD has played a preeminent role in researching and documenting the microenterprise field in the United States. Our research has examined the growth and development of microenterprise organizations; the characteristics of the clients reached; the outcomes experienced by program clients; the role that microenterprise development can play in addressing key challenges such as creating jobs, improving job quality, and creating wealth; and the challenges faced by the microenterprise field as it seeks to expand and adjust to changing market conditions.

Quick Resources

Learn about the size, scope and growth of the US microenterprise field, by starting with the most recent findings from the US Microenterprise Census on the data highlights section of our site. To explore in greater depth, check out our microTracker.org web site and our publications on industry program performance.

Explore the outcomes experienced by entrepreneurs who engage with microenterprise programs by checking out our EntrepreneurTracker data highlights. You can also visit microTracker.org and our extensive body of work on microenterprise client outcomes.

Learn about microenterprise development and job creation from our most recent EntrepreneurTracker data highlights, our research paper on Microenterprise Development as Job Creation, and our MicroJobs, Fast Facts infographic.

Learn about the informal economy and microenterprise, by accessing recordings of recent events that explore the growing role of the 1099 and sharing economy in the United States, or our past research on the informal economy and microenterprise.

Microenterprise and the Poor: Findings
from the Self-Employment Learning Project Five Year Survey of
Microentrepreneurs (1999)
Documents the experiences of 133 individuals who attempted to escape poverty through entrepreneurship. Results from the Self-Employment Learning Project are presented describing the outcomes of poor entrepreneurs and their businesses over a five-year period. Download Executive Summary